


Affection Touching Across Time: Cullen

by loverofallfiction



Series: Affection Touching Across Time [1]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Dead Warden, F/M, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-05
Updated: 2015-03-07
Packaged: 2018-03-05 14:37:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3123788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loverofallfiction/pseuds/loverofallfiction
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ten years ago, Solona Amell made the ultimate sacrifice. A failed attempt at closing the Breach takes a life and brings another back. The question is whether too much time has passed for one's affections to dampen?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Inquisition Rises from the Ashes: Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all! Here is a little side project to help me brainstorm ideas for my other story. This story was inspired by Richard Husky's Love and War, Forevermore on ff.net. He gave me permission to use the premise for this story, without him this story would not have come about. This story is Betad by T.K. Edwards

Prologue

 

The war between mages and templars had escalated to the point where the people of Thedas feared for their safety. The fighting had persisted for almost a year before one person in Thedas was willing to intervene. That person was none other than the Divine herself, Justinia V. She had worked tirelessly to persuade the leaders of both factions to agree to end hostilities and join her at a Conclave, held within the rebuilt Temple of Sacred Ashes. Many saw the Conclave as a sign of hope that the war would finally end. Unfortunately, with the Conclave's destruction, hope died along with Justinia. A tear in the sky marked the site at where hope had been lost. The sky glowed with an ethereal green, an ill omen that caused many of the faithful to flee.

 

Cassandra tore her eyes from the green spiral that pierced the skies as she watched Leliana's men surround the rift. _Soon, the Breach will be closed, and I will find the one responsible for the Divine's death._ She grasped her sword hilt tightly in anticipation at the thought.

 

Her blood was still cold from fear after watching the echo of Justinia pleading for help, and the "traitor" Edmond Tullius interrupting Justinia's murderer. She glared in disdain at the man wearing Grey Warden armor. She was apprehensive towards him at first, but she grew more hostile towards him on the climb up to the holy temple. She could forgive the fact that he claimed not to remember anything, except his duties to the Wardens. But the fact that he'd been so uncooperative and unwilling to help their cause made her blood boil.

 

Solas's soft voice broke Cassandra out of her angry thoughts. "This rift is closed, albeit temporarily. You have to open the rift to seal it for good. Keep in mind that opening the rift may attract attention from the other side."

 

Crunching sounds echoed across the temple, as the rift crystal menacingly grew bigger and then reshaped just as quickly. The time to act was now. Cassandra nodded to Solas as he pulled the staff from his back. She could feel the wisps of magic being channeled into his staff.

 

The Seeker turned around to address the rest of the party, pulling her sword out from her sheath.

 

"Stand ready. We are going to be attacked by demons," Cassandra warned, holding her sword in an aggressive stance. Her sword reflected the green gleam from the rift.

 

"Hold on!" Cassandra gave Tullius a dirty look in response to his angry outburst. She should have expected that he was going to make this difficult. _Maybe he is guilty after all._

 

The Warden walked forward, disturbing the rubble that was once Andraste's resting place and leaving footprints in the ash as he approached Pentaghast and Solas.

 

"You expect me to wave my hand at this thing and open it?" Tullius asked incredulously, using his staff to point at the rift for emphasis. "He just said that it was closed." The man nodded at Solas to prove his point."

 

"I said it was temporary. It could open at any time with devastating consequences." The elven apostate said defensively.

 

"If opening the rift is the only solution to close the Breach, then we must take the chance. Now, do your job." She commanded the Warden, but Tullius was determined to have the last word.

 

"We are talking about demons here, Seeker. As you well know, my order does not fight against demons." Edmond slammed the end of his staff onto the ground, glaring at the Seeker.

 

Cassandra's grip on her sword tightened as she tried to reign in her building temper. She was tempted to forcefully grab his hand and direct it towards the rift. Maker help them. This man was going to get them killed with his attitude.

 

"We can argue about this later. Right now, closing the Breach is our priority." She argued, pulling her shield off her back.

 

The Warden mumbled something under his breath as he took his place underneath the rift. As he raised his hand the mark glowed violently as the energy from the mark interacted with the rift crystal. The Rift flared with energy and then it opened, causing the Fade to become visible. It was like a doorway to an alien plain. A monstrous figure materialized on the other side, then with a burst of green light it appeared in the flesh.

 

The beast was purple with horns protruding from its head and armored scales projecting from its body. The Seeker's eyes widened as she remembered the description of such a creature from her training. The demon in front of them was a Pride Demon.

 

The demon let out a spine chilling roar, and the earth trembled as its feet touched the ground. A guttural laugh echoed from its mouth as it walked arrogantly towards Tullius. As much as she hated Tullius, she could not let him die as he was the only man in all of Thedas that had any command over these Fade rifts.

 

"Fire!" She yelled at the archers. A volley of arrows rained on the demon, however the demon's scales were too strong and the arrows fell weakly from the creature and on the ground. The magic from Solas' and Tullius' staves did not even faze the creature. The hide was as hard as stone. Her eyes narrowed in concentration as she tried to come up with a tactic. Something in the vicinity was giving the demon its power. The crunching sounds from the rift crystal broke her from her concentration, and her eyes widened in realization.

 

"Close the rift!" Cassandra watched as Tullius lowered his staff and tried closing the rift. The rift began to convulse and shot out a green light towards the demon. The Pride Demon roared, falling to its knees.

 

Cassandra did not have to give her party any commands as they began their relentless assault on the demon. Eventually, the party's teamwork made short work of the demon. The demon yelled as it fell face forward on the ground.

 

"Is it dead?" Tullius questioned. He approached the demon and poked the demon's face with the butt of his staff.

 

Solas approached the demon using his staff as a walking stick.

 

"I think the demon passed out. You should close the rift to send it back." Solas recommended with a frown, stepping back to allow Tullius room.

 

Tullius nodded and began working to close the rift.

 

Cassandra thought she saw a flicker of movement in the demon's direction. She ignored the thought as she continued to watch the rift convulse. Suddenly, she heard a strange scratching noise.

 

The Seeker looked in the Warden's direction and saw that the demon was being pulled towards the rift. In desperation to stay in this world, it had dug its claws into the earth. The force pulling the demon was so strong that its lower body had begun to lift toward the rift.

 

The demon's hands scrambled to reach the earth, but its attempt was futile. The beast yelled in frustration, the power of the mark was too strong.

 

 _It's almost over_. Cassandra closed her eyes in relief. Her respite was short lived when Tullius yelled.

 

The demon had grabbed Tullius in an ill attempt to stop him from closing the rift. As a result, Tullius was pulled into the Fade with the demon.

 

They needed Tullius to close the Breach. Without him, all of Thedas was doomed. Cassandra ran towards the rift but felt a pair of hands grabbing her shoulders, pulling her back.

 

"It's too dangerous. The only thing we can do now is watch." Solas warned, his eyes were filled with concern.

 

The rift turned black and convulsed, giving off raw magical energy. She had had to use her forearm to protect her against the blast. Hissing noises erupted from the rift as it shot open in the form of a black dragon before closing. An incapacitated figure was left on the ground.

 

Varric and Solas circled the person. Cassandra sheathed her sword as she stood next to Varric.

 

The Seeker observed the figure and saw long black hair, a petite figure, soft facial features, and left hand flaring green. It was the same as the mark on Tullius' own hand. Tullius got replaced by a woman.

 

Varric was the first to recover from his shock.

 

"Andraste's ass," Varric shook his head in disbelief before continuing. "things keep on getting weirder. I am not sure, if I should be surprised by what I see anymore." Varric commented as he propped Bianca on his back, observing the woman.

 

"This is remarkable. I never would have imagined that such a thing was possible." Solas remarked with awe, propping himself on his knees to get a better look at the woman.

 

Someone needed to explain what was going on. All of this was insane. First the explosion and the Breach and now…this. The Seeker was at wits end trying to make sense with what she was seeing. She ran a hand through her short black hair in frustration.

 

"That's impossible." Leliana gasped as she stared at the woman who exited the Fade. She placed a couple of forefingers on the person's neck while tenderly stroking the woman's hair. Cassandra was not sure if the gesture was to soothe Leliana, or the former bard showing her affection.

 

"Leliana, do you know this person?" Cassandra could not hide her curiosity.

 

Leliana's gaze softened without taking her eyes off the woman.

 

"Yes, she died ten years ago." She answered, wiping the tears from her eyes.

 

Cassandra wanted to question Leliana about the details, but was interrupted when a contingent of soldiers ran through the Temple followed by Commander Cullen.

 

The Commander looked around the temple warily with his sword drawn, accessing the danger. He sheathed his sword when he noticed that Leliana's men did not have their weapons drawn.

 

"Cullen." Cassandra greeted as Leliana stood by her side. She wondered how Cullen would take the news. He probably would not believe her once she told him.

 

"We came as soon as we were able. How goes the attempt at closing the Breach?" He questioned with seriousness while staring at the green vortex in the sky.

 

"I am afraid we halted the Breach from growing, but we did not fully close it. More power is necessary to seal it completely." Solas informed him, leaning on his staff.

 

"Where is the prisoner?" Cassandra and Leliana shared uneasy looks, earning a frown from the Commander. "Why do you both look like you have seen a ghost?" The Commander let out a small laugh without humor.

 

"We had a … a complication." Cassandra began hesitantly. She did not even know whether that was the right word for their situation.

 

"Complication? What happened?" The Commander questioned, resting his right hand on his sword hilt.

 

"The prisoner… he was dragged into the rift by a Pride Demon-"

 

"Maker's Breath! What will we do now?" The Commander asked in shock, causing Cassandra to glare at the interruption.

 

"That's the problem Tullius is gone-"

 

"Then all our work was for naught." Cullen interrupted, running a hand through his curly blond hair in frustration. "He was the only one possible to close these rifts because of his mark." He spoke with melancholy as his shoulders sunk in defeat.

 

"If you let me finish, you would have heard the rest of the story." Cassandra informed impatiently before continuing her story. "The rift eventually reopened, and someone exited with the same mark as Tullius."

 

"Who?" The Commander's expression turned hopeful at the knowledge that they were not doomed.

 

Cassandra looked at Leliana for answers, and the former bard looked down, trying to decide the best course of action. She looked at Cassandra and then to Cullen before answering.

 

"I think… it is best for Cullen to see for himself." Cassandra wondered why Leliana did not say the name. The former bard made the situation seem ominous, but Cassandra was willing to trust Leliana's judgment on the matter.

 

Cassandra nodded to the spymaster and both women parted to allow the Commander to see the figure.

 

The Seeker and Leliana watched Cullen slowly walk towards the woman. He turned his head sideways, taking in the woman's appearance before turning pale. He fell to his knees as he held out a hand to tentatively stroke her face. Instead, he hesitated with his hand hovering over her head.

 

"T-This isn't real." He stammered and closed his eyes in pain, unwilling to touch the person on the ground. "This is a d-dream I am going to wake up from." The Commander spoke softly in denial, earning a frown from the Seeker in response.

The Seeker wondered what was wrong with Cullen. He had not been without Lyrium for too long. Why did he think he was hallucinating?

 

"Cullen, this is Solona Amell, and she is very much alive." Leliana's voice reassured, staring at Cullen with conviction. "The Maker has returned her in our darkest hour to save the world yet again."

 

Cassandra looked at the fallen Warden in shock. The Maker had provided them a miracle, the Hero of the Fifth Blight returned after she had perished ten years ago. Her heart had begun to fill with hope. _With Solona's help, the Inquisition will stand ready for the trials to come_.

* * *

Cullen was exhausted but stood ready in the War Room to discuss the next course of action. Now that the prisoner, Edmond Tullius, was gone, they had to deal with the so called Herald of Andraste. Many forgot the fact that Tullius survived the destruction at the Conclave. The people of Haven even forgot he existed. Instead, they were saying that the Hero of Ferelden was the Herald since she came back from the dead. _Her return caused the Breach to stabilize_. He shook his head at the thought. Foul magic was at play with her return.

 

"Sleep well, Commander?" Leliana's Orlesian voice greeted as Cassandra followed her into the War Room.

 

Leliana went close to his face with a cheeky grin. He was sure she could see the dark circles under his eyes.

 

"Not really." He answered, covering a gauntleted hand over his mouth as he yawned.

 

"I am sure that Solona's return makes things a little more exciting around here." He could not understand how Leliana could be so cheerful, after all that she witnessed.

 

He scoffed at Leliana's comment but covered the gesture as if it were a cough. The sound of the townspeople in Haven getting drunk by the stabilized Breach and celebrating the Hero's return did not keep him up. What kept him up was the nightmare from the night before.

 

_He was running across the cold stone floor of the Circle Tower, cutting down abominations in his path. A rage demon squealed as he thrusted his sword through its abdomen, causing it to dissolve into a pile of ash. He sheathed his sword and leaned against a wall covered in grime, catching his breath. He felt a hand on the small of his back and jumped out of fear with his sword drawn._

 

_Someone familiar spoke to him and she said, "I can go a little longer," and his hazel eyes softened at her voice._

 

_"Not much longer, love." He placed a comforting arm on her shoulder, earning a small smile in response._

 

_The room became hot as the bookshelves in the library became aflame. The entrance was blocked by a fiery inferno. "I have enough magic to get you out of here."_

 

_"No, we are leaving together." He reassured, tugging her close. If she was going to die, then they would die together._

 

_She smiled, but it was not genuine because the smile did not reach her eyes. "I am sorry."_

 

_"What-" He was unable to finish as she knocked him back with a telekinetic blast._

 

_She had cast her spell and her body turned into ash._

 

_"Solona!" He yelled, falling to his knees with each of his hands on opposite sides of the ash pile. He could not save her._

 

_He heard evil laughter coming from the ashes as a molten hand grabbed his leg, dragging him into darkness._

 

He was brought back to the present and had to give his input.

 

"What are we supposed to tell everyone? That Solona Amell is our leader, who would believe us? We were not the only ones who witnessed her body burn ten years ago. Others did too." He offered in response to Leliana's suggestion of sending word out for support.

 

He had missed most of the conversation, but the Warden's return defied all logic. There were no Chantry records of anyone coming back from the dead. Cullen would have been less skeptical if there was an incident of Andraste coming back from the dead.

 

"Whatever we decide, this could work in our favor. In our desperate time of need, the Maker sent us a Hero to lead us in this dark time, like she did ten years ago. Anyone would be a fool to believe otherwise." The former bard's hands were clasped together with a faraway look in her eye.

 

Cullen scratched his neck where the fur of his armor touched. He did not think that the people of Thedas were desperate enough to believe such a story. Her return also did not explain what had happened to Tullius.

 

"But the way she came back was horrific. If the Maker wanted to send us a miracle, why did He take another's life?"

 

"Solas." Cassandra's greeting interrupted the Commander's concern. "What is the Warden's situation?"

 

The elf stepped forward as he shifted the staff in his hand.

 

"The good news is that the blood she was covered in is not her own. I am assuming that she was covered in blood when she died. It is only fitting that she returned this way. She has woken up and is with Varric at the moment." His mouth turned upward into a smile until his eyes narrowed in concern. "But I am afraid that she does not remember anything."

 

"Tell us the extent of her memories." Cassandra questioned, leaning over the war table, bracing herself for the answer.

 

He shook his head as he continued his story. "She has no memories and did not even know her name." He finished sadly.

 

All of the advisors exchanged worried looks. Cullen felt disappointed for some reason before his concern turned to fear. If she lost all her memories, did she still have magic?

 

"What of her abilities?" Cullen asked tactfully, resting his hand on the pommel of his sword.

 

Leliana and Cassandra were taken aback at his question. These were desperate times and they could not afford to have any sentimentality while the threat remained.

 

"Cullen, she is not a weapon. We should be happy she returned to us." Leliana chided.

 

"The person who was capable of closing the Breach is gone. If she lost her magic or cannot wield a sword, then she is a liability-"

 

"There is a more simple answer to your problem, Commander." The advisors watched as the intruder strode in with his hands behind his back. "She is a demon, therefore execute her!" The man ordered the two guards standing by the War Room door.

 

The men looked at each other before looking at Cassandra for further orders.

 

"Disregard the order." Cassandra ordered the men, causing the men to stand down. "Chancellor Roderick." Cassandra greeted in distaste, causing the Chancellor to become infuriated at the lack of respect towards his own authority.

 

"People do not come back from the dead. Let alone a revered hero who died ten years ago. If your little band of heretics plan on using this creature as your mascot, then I officially brand you all as cultists who practice necromancy." He threatened, flaunting his authority.

 

"Necromancy?" Cassandra questioned, unable to hide the malice in her voice.

 

"How else would you all summon a woman in the Hero's likeness?" Roderick questioned, crossing his arms in accusation. He seemed quite pleased with himself.

 

The situation was going to escalate quickly unless something was done to stem it. The Commander was prepared to stop the accusations and calm the situation, though he held no liking for the Chancellor.

 

"I can assure you that she is no demon." Cullen almost winced when Solas intervened. Solas's outburst didn't help the situation. In fact, the elven apostate's very presence at the meeting had in fact weakened their position with the Lord Chancellor.

 

"That is reassuring coming from an elven apostate. I am pretty sure you've dabbled in the foulest of magicks and would know all about demons." The Chancellor judged Solas with a scornful scowl.

 

"You were not there! I saw the prisoner get swallowed into the Fade leaving us with the Hero. The Divine's murderer is still out there trekking across Thedas planning Maker knows what."

 

Cassandra seethed at the Chancellor's accusation. Her hand was slowly inching towards her sword. She was going to be out for blood if she did not take command of her emotions.

 

"You may have believed the prisoner was Most Holy's murderer, but he was not. Her murderer was someone she did not suspect. It may be possible for the murderer's accomplices to still live." Leliana warned throwing the Chancellor a knowing look.

 

"A-Are you saying that I took part in the Divine's death?" Roderick held a hand over his heart, flabbergasted at the accusation. "Never! I am a faithful servant of the Maker. More than any of you!"

 

"You are a suspect... along with many others." Leliana confirmed as her eyes narrowed into a glare.

 

"I think the Maker sent us a miracle to close this Breach. Are you so blinded by tradition that you do not see reason?" Cassandra stepped forward, slamming a book onto the War table. She looked at the book before returning her attention back to the Chancellor.

 

She walked forward causing the Chancellor to back up with each step she took. "The Chantry can be rebuilt," The Seeker began pointing an angry accusatory finger at the Chancellor's chest. "You forget that fact and fight with us instead of standing with us to close the Breach and finding those responsible for Justinia's death."

 

At this point, Cassandra had the Chancellor backed up into a wall. The Chancellor cowered under her determined gaze.

 

"As of this moment, I declare the Inquisition reborn. You can either help us or leave." Cassandra offered, but it did not stop her from glaring. Cullen had to admit he was inspired by Cassandra's outburst.

 

"I-I think I have heard enough." The Chancellor stammered and scrambled to his feet. "This is not over! This _Inquisition_ is not recognized by the Chantry!" He spat out in disdain.

 

"Let us see what the people will make of your order when they find out about your values." He warned, letting those present in the War Room know that his dealings with them was far from over.

 

"There goes our Chantry support." Cullen sighed. If all of their potential allies acted this way, then the Inquisition would crumble achieving nothing.

 

"We aren't ready. We have no leader, no numbers and now no Chantry support. But perhaps we can transform Solona into a leader." Leliana suggested, fixing the cowl over her head.

 

"If we are, I can help out with the politics." An Antivan voice spoke from the door's entryway.

 

"Josephine, did you hear the conversation?" Leliana questioned the Diplomat in surprise.

 

"It was hard to miss. The Chancellor caused quite the uproar." Josephine masked her smile well.

 

"Commander, you asked of her abilities, and I am afraid that she forgot she was a mage." Solas reminded, causing Cullen to run a hand through his hair in frustration.

 

"She is useless then." The Commander commented. She would have to be escorted to close these Fade Rifts and be protected. The Inquisition did not have enough troops for that endeavor.

 

"Cullen, I am sure she could return to what she was in time."Leliana said with confidence. Cullen looked at her incredulously.

 

Time? The Inquisition did not have time. There was no telling how long the Breach would remain stable.

 

"I agree with your Spymaster's sentiment. Some skills are still present." Solas agreed.

 

"What do you mean, Solas?" Cassandra asked in curiosity. Cullen could not help but feel curious as well.

 

"I am sure her memories are gone temporarily. Her memories could potentially return with a trigger. She knows how to make potions. Ever since the elf attendant brought her elfroot this morning, she was occupying her time making healing potions before I came to her hut."

 

"That is right! She did make all kinds of tonics during the Blight." Leliana said suddenly.

 

"In order for us to help her remember, does anyone else know what her skills were?" Cassandra questioned.

 

"She was adept at spirit healing and elemental magic if I recall. Though I am unsure of her abilities she acquired over the course of the Blight." Cullen answered grimly. He was not fully convinced that the mage was truly Solona.

 

"I remember during our traveling during the Blight, one of our companions taught her how to shapeshift. In addition, she found a crystal in an ancient elven ruin, granting her a strange magic that allowed her to use a sword with her magic."

 

"Really, she became an arcane warrior?" Solas asked in awe. "That is truly remarkable and could come in handy. I could help her revisit primal magic. And she may yet rediscover the arcane warrior ability on her own. If given a sword, she may remember her abilities given enough practice."

 

The elf was looking at Cullen for help, but he was not going to personally help this woman. Knowing, that the woman was not Solona would torment him. "I could get her to spar with my men." He offered. This was the only help he could provide.

 

"We don't want to embarrass her. Why don't you teach her?" Leliana asked with disapproval laced in her voice.

 

"I have men to look after." His answer caused Leliana to frown in disappointment. Did the left hand know something about his and Solona's past? He shook his head at the thought. He was not in the mood to over-think the situation.

 

"I shall help her then since the Commander is too occupied." Cassandra intervened before addressing the others in the room.

 

"We all know what to do, and now we will prepare for the Inquisition. Solas, find a spot where you both could practice magic safely. I will find the Warden and help her train in the meantime.

 

Solas nodded to the Seeker in acknowledgement before leaving the room. Cullen watched as Cassandra's face turned into a frown when she looked at Leliana.

 

"Leliana, are you all right?" Cassandra asked.

 

Leliana had her back towards the war table as she was staring at the door leading outside the Chantry.

 

"Solona, was a dear friend of mine. I wonder if it is fair to put this burden on her, even if she did have her memories." Leliana questioned wistfully

 

"She was a Hero and willing for die for Thedas. Since we have no leader, I am sure that once she remembers who she is, she would gladly step into the role of the Inquisition's leader." Cassandra gave Leliana's shoulder a comforting squeeze.

 

"I am so glad to see her again after all this time. When she recovers her memories, she will find that much of Thedas has changed within ten years. Wouldn't that be overwhelming for her?" The former bard questioned in fear as she looked down on the stone floor.

 

"The only thing we can do is pick her up when she falters." The Seeker reassured as she stared at the exit with Leliana.

 

"There is no question that I will, and I am glad that you will as well. I hope that others share our sentiment. She needs support now more than ever than her time during the Blight." Leliana responded with a voice filled with determination.

 

Cullen felt his heart warm up at Leliana's loyalty, and Cassandra's willingness to help Solona, even though she did not know the Warden. Cullen almost felt guilty by the way he acted. He did not have time to think about the matter for he had to get the Inquisition's troops ready.

* * *

Cullen did not know how long it took him to reach the training grounds. He felt proud watching the soldiers putting their all into their practice. The sounds of their swords clashing were like music to his ears. The Inquisition received many recruits from Haven and some pilgrims. It would take a lot of work to get them ready for battle. He sighed heavily, watching his breath take form in the cold air.

 

He had been without lyrium for a few months, and he was starting to feel the effects on his body. At first, the symptoms of the withdrawal were innocuous such as headaches. Now, his muscles ached and he had nightmares, especially of one mage, who refused to stay dead.

 

He swore when he became Commander that he would give his all to the Inquisition. He was not going to be distracted by this Herald. Whatever this … woman was, she was not Solona.

 

His Solona was kind and was considered somewhat of a prodigy back at the circle. She was admitted into the circle tower at age six. At ten, she had mastered the spirit school of magic, and by sixteen she mastered the primal school. His first assignment was to watch over her as she learned to communicate with spirits from the Fade. She was seventeen at the time and caused quite a stir among the templars and the apprentices. The Circle had her take her Harrowing early as she began to develop her magical talents far quicker than any mage ever in the history of the Circle. Her development caused the Revered Mother to demand that Solona be made tranquil,but her demand fell on deaf ears. The Mother's fears were shared with other Templars, who believed that she may become too powerful and escape from the tower. As a way to keep her leashed to the Circle, the Knight-Commander had her take on an apprentice.

 

Cullen watched over her first attempt to use magic. He watched as Solona tried to summon an ice spell. The ball of ice fluctuated into a deformed ball as she tried to hold it, but it backfired, knocking herself and Solas to the ground. He flinched, and his hand tightened on the pommel of his sword at the uncontrolled magic. Even though he quit taking lyrium, he still had the templar instincts in response to magic. No, this impostor did not possess the talent of the woman he loved.

 

The mage got up and apologized to Solas, helping him back to his feet. They looked at each other and laughed. Cullen shuddered at the sound. The laugh sounded like bells and gaiety. _Maker, the woman had her laugh_ , his blood became cold with fear at the thought. The Maker had a sense of humor torturing him in this way. The Commander felt as though he was being punished for not stopping Meredith's madness.

 

He began to recite the Canticle of Benedictions in his head to give him strength to endure the rest of the day. _Blessed are they who stand before the corrupt and the wicked and do not falter._

 

He stopped his prayers as he noticed a recruit with a poor sword form. The recruit became terrified of the incoming sword. Instead of using his own sword to deflect the incoming blade, he raised up his shield to take the blow…which caused him to fall to the ground.

 

"Defend with your sword, boy, not with your shield that is the point of this drill. If this were a real fight you'd be dead." The commander chastised the boy, causing the boy to stammer apologies in response.

 

"Lieutenant," Cullen watched as his second in command stood ready to receive his order. "I want you to ramp up their training. With the situation as it is, these men need to be ready for real conflicts."

 

With the few men at the Inquisition's disposal, he wanted to make sure that they were at their best. Numbers hardly mattered. What mattered was the quality of the soldiers' training.

 

"At once, Commander." The lieutenant beat his right arm over his plated chest in acknowledgement to the order.

 

His gaze was directed back towards the mage, who was heading towards his direction.

 

 _Do not make eye contact_. He scolded himself as he shifted his back to discourage her from approaching him. He did not know how long he was watching the soldiers, when the snow crunched beside him. He observed the person with a side-glance and sighed.

 

"I see that you are up and about. How did your training with Cassandra and Solas go?" He questioned while trying to come up with an excuse to dismiss the mage.

 

"I find a sword easier to wield than a staff it seems, and I can make only a moderate size fireball at best but not big enough to cause damage." She laughed at her lack of talent, causing him to glare in response.

 

Those soft blue eyes were like the sea and her voice was soft like Solona's voice. He forgot to breathe for a moment, and his shock turned into anger. The Inquisition could not fail at closing the Breach. She would have to do more than try if they were going to succeed.

 

"Your best is not good enough." He observed, staring at all of the townspeople of Haven. He knew he was being unfair, but for some reason he was getting riled up. He was not sure if it was at himself or her.

 

She glared at him for his scolding. In another time, the glare would have caused him to apologize, but now he found it easier to hate this woman. "I know and I am trying my best." She answered as her hands tightened into fists at her sides.

 

"Do you see all these people?" He gestured at those present in camp showing her how much was at stake. If the Inquisition failed, the consequences would be on their heads. "They are counting on you to close the Breach. Currently, you can't close it unless you are able to defend yourself."

 

"I know." She answered sadly, looking away from him.

 

Her gaze lingered on the Templar recruits standing near the tents.

 

"You were a templar once." She observed, gesturing to the templars wearing templar armor emblazoned with the Sword of Mercy insignia.

 

His eyes widened in shock, feeling sick as a familiar feeling started to fill his being. He squashed those feelings aside, reminding himself that this person was not her.

 

"What else do you remember?" He asked with a voice filled with hope, closing his eyes in frustration.

 

 _You fool! You sound like a lovesick puppy_ , he chided himself for asking the question. He did not care what she remembered. He already established the fact that he did not care for her.

 

"I remember…" She hesitated staring in his eyes. He shifted uncomfortably as he thought she was staring into his soul. He must have disappointed her because her pensive expression turned into a grimace.

 

"Nevermind. It's not important. Though being a mage does explains your attitude towards me which is hardly amicable. Don't worry, I will close the Breach. You won't have to worry about this mage." She walked away in a huff.

 

In a roundabout way her words reminded him of something, but his head started to hurt when he could not immediately remember.

 

 _You are a mage, and I a Templar. It is my duty to oppose you and all that you are._ He groaned as he remembered him spouting those words he regretted for years. The burdens of his past came back at him at full force, and he rubbed his forehead in disbelief.

 

Why did the Maker have to make everything so complicated? He made a mental note to pray fervently tonight, he was going to need the strength to deal with this mage.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cullen's theme:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSkn1peZP3k  
> Solona's theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSkn1peZP3k
> 
> The World State and the Return: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw4O9pN-a1g  
> Cullen's dream and denial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1zwGyTLazo


	2. The Herald of Andraste

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solona learns a little about her predicament and Cullen's beliefs are challenged.

 

* * *

Sometime after the Temple of Sacred Ashes

* * *

The woman woke up with a gasp. Her lungs felt heavy when she took a deep breath. This air felt different compared to what she was used to breathing. Her eyes narrowed at the realization. Where was she? She remembered a green plane with floating rocks and a black city visible in the sky.

Her eyes soaked in her surroundings. The bed she was sitting on had seen better days since it was covered in patches. The hut had a small hole in the roof where sunlight was able to seep in through the cracks, causing her to shield her eyes. Odd, she was not in the green plane.

Her musings were cut short when someone entered the room. The intruder had an appearance of a girl with bright blue eyes and pointy ears, not like her flat ears.

The girl gasped and dropped the small box she was holding on the ground. Moments later, she fell to her knees.

"My Lady Herald. Please forgive me!" The girl pleaded, lowering her head closer to the floor.

Was her name Herald? Herald did not sound familiar, but she did not have a chance to ask as the girl continued in a rush.

"I did not expect for you to wake up so soon. I must go and tell Lady Pentaghast that you woke up, at once!" The girl scrambled to her feet without looking at her once, taking a fearful step back to the door.

The woman sighed disappointedly, not getting her questions answered left her feeling frustrated. As she lifted herself off the bed she staggered, for she had an uneven feeling in her legs. How long had she been out? The room started to spin from her lack of balance. Her body felt heavy, feeling a little foreign. Clutching the wall for support, she closed her eyes and waited until the dizziness faded.

Eventually, the Herald turned her gaze to the red box that was on the ground. She found some elfroot and dawn lotuses, it was the box that the girl had dropped. There was a mortar and an alchemy set that was in the corner of the room. Her hands moved on instinct to begin mixing in the ingredients. She was surprised at herself, for she was making a potion to help her nausea. The brewing felt as though she had done this before a hundred times that it was almost instinctive like breathing. Time passed quickly the more she focused on her task.

The sound of the door creaking open caused her to jump, sensing there was danger about.

"My apologies. I did not mean to startle you." The strange intruder was bald, wearing a brown tunic. He had the same pointy ears as the girl, the same race. "My name is Solas." He greeted with a small, curious smile.

She stared at the outstretched hand in curiosity before shaking it.

"Nice to meet you, Solas. I am Herald, I think." Her greeting caused him to lift an eyebrow in confusion.

"Herald?" He drawled the name, considering his next words. "Do you think that is your name?" He asked, bemused.

"That's what the girl who looked like you called me this morning." She answered impatiently.

She did not know what her name would be otherwise. If he knew, why did he ask? She did not like the way the situation was dragging out so far. Everything was foggy in her head. If she had a name, it had been lost in the murky depths of her mind.

"Looked like me?" He questioned her with a frown while rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"She had pointy ears." She answered with a sheepish smile.

"I am an elf." Solas stifled his laugh with a cough before looking at her seriously. "Tell me what you remember."

She looked to ground, debating to reveal the existence of the green plane. Besides that knowledge, there was nothing to remember.

"Nothing."

"Does the word 'mage' sound familiar to you?" The elf continued his probing. His brow furrowed as he awaited her response.

"No." The woman replied honestly. She knew what a mage was but the word held no significance to her what so ever, but something in the pit of her stomach made her uneasy about being asked that question.

"I see." He paused for a moment and looked out the window of the hut. "Let's get you outside. I need to speak with the advisors."

Solas lightly pushed her back to guide her to the door. When he opened the door, she was greeted with the cold morning air, causing her to shiver in response. There were dozens of people trading wares, and the sound of a blacksmith tampering metal could be heard somewhere in the camp. In the distance, majestic mountains touched the sky.

The elf continued to guide her, preventing her from taking in the rest of her surroundings. She could hear murmurings of the people who walked by. They kept their voices low enough, so she couldn't make out what they were saying. As they passed, people were bowing at her and looking at her with reverence. Her cheeks flushed from embarrassment because she did not know why they were praising her. Was she some sort of religious figure?

Solas's stride was slowing down as they approached a short man with a brown ponytail, who was bartering with a merchant. The man's eyes grew wide when he saw her standing in front of him.

"Varric, this is Solona Amell." Solas introduced.

 _Amell_. She had the strangest feeling that the introduction of that name was more for her benefit than the small man.

"Solona, this is Varric Tetras. He is a dwarf from Kirkwall." The dwarf smiled and bowed courteously to her before frowning at Solas's close proximity.

Solas walked forward and whispered something in Varric's ear, causing the dwarf's eyes to widen.

"You got to be shitting me? You mean to tell me-" Varric's surprise was cut short when his eyes landed on her. She had a feeling that they were talking about her. He masked his surprise with a grin. "I apologize, Chuckles. Go see the advisors."

Solona, if that truly was her name, suddenly missed Solas's company because this dwarf was smiling at her with the biggest grin and with eyes burning with curiosity. She felt like he was going to interrogate her.

"You look a lot like your cousin Helena." He stated, trying to put her at ease. Her shoulders relaxed at the statement, and she could tell he was holding back on trying to question her. What exactly did Solas say to the dwarf?

"My cousin?" She couldn't help hide her surprise. If she had a family member, then she would like to meet her, maybe she could help regain her lost memories.

"Helena Hawke, champion of Kirkwall," He began with a nostalgic smile. "You both have the same blue eyes and long black hair. The only exception is that you have a lost look on your face." He answered with a smirk.

"This is all overwhelming." Amell agreed with his observation. Not remembering anything was rather taxing on her.

"I bet. Staying in the Fade for ten years and walking out are enough reasons to change one's outlook on life." Varric brushed the snow that landed on his jacket off.

She was trapped in the Fade for ten years? Fade was a word that sounded familiar. Was that the green plane that she remembered?

"The Fade is it green?" Her question caused the dwarf to frown.

"You are asking the wrong person. I have been to the Fade once. It was not green the last time I visited. Though, by the color of the Breach…" he glanced up at the rift in the sky. "I would put my gold on it. It was ass-deep in demons too." Varric laughed without humor at the thought.

She was going to question the dwarf more about her situation until she saw his jaw clench in irritation. She looked in the direction of his ire and saw a woman with short black hair with an eye engraved on her black armor. The woman was striding towards their direction with a purpose.

The woman stood next to Solona and accessed her with a shrewd gaze.

"Ah, Seeker, it seems like Satinalia has come early for you this year." Varric greeted with a tease, causing the Seeker's eyes to narrow in disapproval

"Varric." The woman greeted with her heavy accent in annoyance.

"Solona Amell, I am Cassandra Pentaghast. If you would follow me, please."

Solona considered the woman for a moment, debating whether or not to follow her blindly. Solona was getting tired of being shuffled around, and she wanted some answers. Her mouth was open in protest, but from the serious look in Cassandra's blue eyes she felt that this woman was not one to be trifled with. Sighing in defeat, she nodded to the woman in understanding.

"See you around, Hero." Varric called after Amell as she was walking away. She could hear the smug smile in the tone of his voice.

Solona had to keep up with Cassandra's long strides. The woman was briskly walking towards a frozen lake. They passed a throng of soldiers practicing in a training area. Amell spared them a glance before continuing to walk forward.

Suddenly, the Seeker stopped walking and Solona almost bumped into her. Cassandra crossed her arms while looking at her pensively.

"Do you know who you are?" She questioned, leaving no room for argument.

"You already know my name." Solona stated in annoyance. She was tired of these games, and she wanted to know what was going on.

"Do you remember anything else?" The Seeker asked a little impatiently.

 _Well, it does not take much the set Cassandra off_ , Solona wanted to roll her eyes at the thought.

"No, it is still all a blank." Solona answered simply. There was no reason to make this woman mad. Besides, she didn't even know what else to say since she had no idea what the woman wanted to hear.

"Then, how did you know how to make potions?" Cassandra continued with her interrogation.

 _What is this the Inquisition?_ Solona thought in annoyance. She was tired of this constant questioning. She had been bombarded with questions since she woke up.

"I am not sure. It just came naturally." Amell answered in exasperation, pushing the hair out of her eyes.

"It is true then, you do not remember anything." The woman answered with a frown.

"What am I supposed to remember, exactly?" Solona asked in curiosity. Things were making a little sense for her, these people expected her to have answers when she had none to give.

"Who you are. The person we hoped you to be." Cassandra gaze softened when she looked at her with pity.

"What makes me so important?" Solona was pretty sure she had a confused look plastered on her face. She failed to see how remembering herself would help any situation.

"Look to the sky." Solona looked in the direction that Cassandra was pointing. There was a green swirling vortex in the sky. The clouds surrounding it made it look ominous. "We call it the Breach, a massive tear in the Veil that allows demons to exit from the Fade."

Solona returned her gaze to the Seeker and saw her looking at her with reverence.

"We attempted closing the Breach but we failed. Though, I can't say that it was a total failure since it brought you back with that mark." Amell looked to her left hand that glowed a faint green near the proximity of the Breach. "You are now Thedas' only hope in closing it." Cassandra stated with seriousness, causing Solona to look over at her in shock.

An overwhelming feeling of dread took over Amell. She barely knew who she was, yet she was roped into saving the world.

"How can I help the world if I am pretty helpless myself?" She questioned, taking a step back and her eyes looking for an opening to escape. Were these people getting ready to offer up as a sacrifice?

Cassandra stepped forward swiftly clutching both of Solona's shoulders, making her wonder what Cassandra was going to do to her. "You give yourself too little credit. The members of the Inquisition will help you every step of the way. I am here to help you train."

Cassandra took advantage of her confusion and shoved a sword in Solona's hand before she was able to protest.

"Let us begin." Cassandra instructed lifting up her sword.

* * *

 

Hours had passed after her training with Cassandra. Solona was left with so many cuts and bruises that were left untreated for long periods of time. To add to her pain and suffering, she was given to Solas to be trained by the man. This was not training but a boot camp.

"Are you serious? I am sore, Cassandra." Solona looked at Cassandra with a pout. Her muscles ached and she did not know how much more she could handle.

"We cannot wait, you must master your magic." Cassandra answered in earnest.

"How can I be a mage if we were practicing sword fighting? I don't see any other mages in this camp with swords." Solona pointed her sword at the group of mages with staves, leaning against the wall near the gates of Haven.

"We were informed that you were an Arcane Warrior. Magic wielders who can use swords in combat." Solas smiled in approval with his hands behind his back.

"I am assuming that it's a rare ability and hard to master?" She rubbed her eyes in disbelief. Her situation was complicated.

"It is an ancient specialization of my people. How you came across that knowledge is something that you have to remember yourself." She gawked at Solas. These people seemed to know all about her life story. She wished she did.

"Can someone please tell me how you seem to know all about me? I would appreciate not being kept in the dark." She pleaded.

Cassandra sighed at her request. "I am afraid we are not the best people to ask. Leliana knew you best; she was with you throughout during the Fifth Blight."

Solona wanted to interrupt but decided to let Cassandra continue.

"Also, Commander Cullen seems to know about you." Cassandra pointed at the stern Commander. His glaring brown eyes directed towards her direction seemed familiar, and the longer she stared she felt herself be drawn into a distant memory.

_She must have been asleep that had to be a fact. Her eyes opened groggily through narrow slits from the lyrium induced sleep after her Harrowing._

_The sound of metal footsteps echoed across the steps as she was being rocked back and forth from the person's stride who was carrying her. Lifting her head slightly, the silver armor reflected the candlelight of the Circle halls. Who was carrying her? Her muscles protested as she tried to lift her head higher. Brown eyes met hers-_

Solas' soft voice broke her from her memory. "Are you alright? Did a memory come back?" His eyes looked at her with worry.

"I am fine and I think I did, nothing substantial though." She gave him a comforting smile while rubbing her eyes. She was going to confront Cullen once her training with Solas was over.

* * *

Solona Amell thought she would never meet someone that she disliked, but fate proved her wrong. Commander Cullen was a despicable man. Coming to him for answers was a serious mistake. Her responses to his questions seemed to agitate him.

How dare he accuse her at not trying her best? She knew that the fate of Thedas rested on her shoulders, and she did not run away from her duty. The more she continued to talk to him the more her memory began to make sense. He was a templar and templars hated mages. When she reminded him of this fact he egged her on for details, trying to humiliate her.

Cullen's hostile attitude fuelled her drive to prove him wrong. Victory would be sweet once she drove that smug grin from his face.

* * *

Leliana

* * *

Two weeks had passed since Solona awoke, and Leliana was concerned. The mage would get up at dawn to run laps, practice magic, and practice sword fighting with the practice dummies. The mage did not have time to find rest as she would spar with Cassandra, and soon afterwards, Solas would teach her. There had been some improvement but not enough that she was able to protect herself in the field.

Cullen would spare a glance at the mage and walk away while shaking his head. During Leliana's travels with Solona throughout the Blight, she remembered that Solona spoke quite fondly of the Commander. From Solona's tale, it was obvious that they were very much in love. Now whenever Cullen looked at the mage, he would look at her with pained contempt. Why was he treating her that way?

Her musings were cut short when Cassandra entered the war room, shutting the door behind her. Leliana looked around and noticed that Cullen and Josephine must have entered the War Room at some point.

Standing in attention, she revealed the reason why she called those present in the War Room to the meeting. "My scouts report that Mother Giselle wishes to speak with the Herald of Andraste."

"That means we have to send Amell out earlier than we planned." Cassandra sighed, rubbing her temples in disbelief.

"Have a little faith. You were so sure that she is Solona Amell. The Solona I knew would be able to handle it." Cullen mocked bitterly. He held up a clipboard to his face, but by the way he was gripping the clipboard Leliana could tell he was angry.

She threw Cullen a dark look at his comment. His attitude made sense. He did not believe that the Herald was Solona.

"So, you suggest sending her out in the field?" Leliana questioned with controlled anger.

Cullen lowered the clipboard and turned his attention to the Spymaster. "After she shows us the results of her training. If she can best a mage and a templar then we shall let her out." Cullen answered tactfully.

"Okay, we can find a mage and a templar and have her spar against them separately." The former bard offered her input to protect her friend from harm. The Commander gaze hardened at her suggestion.

"No, she would have to spar against them together."

"Together? Do you know what you are suggesting?" Cassandra could not hide her shock.

"She cannot be coddled forever. This is beside the point. The Hinterlands is a battleground between both mages and templars." He placed his finger on the map where there were pegs that represented the location of enemy mages and templars.

"If she walks into the middle of the fighting, do you think they will engage in one-on-one combat with her?" Cullen paused, staring at those present in the War room before continuing."Exactly, they will attack whoever they see. This test will show her what to expect in the Hinterlands." He returned his hand to the pommel of his sword, gripping it rather tightly.

"If we are going with your suggestion, then Solas and I will be the ones who will participate. We won't pick an unknown mage and templar she is not familiar with to humiliate her." Cassandra answered, earning a grateful smile from the bard.

"Ensure that she is ready on the morrow." Cullen informed before walking out the door.

* * *

Leliana had a horrible time sleeping. She did not know what was going to happen during the match. If Solona was not ready, then she would be injured. The Maker only knew the outcome of the demonstration.

Varric's voice broke her out of her reverie. "Don't you think it is a little harsh pitting her against Cassandra? Hero or not, the Seeker is relentless." Varric stated in concern.

"If we are to have any hope of closing the Breach, then this is a necessary evil." Cullen informed without looking at the dwarf.

"I know you Templars hate mages but this is a little harsh, even by your own standards." Varric answered while shaking his head.

"I am no longer a templar, Varric. And I don't hate mages." Cullen corrected with impatience. Leliana felt that Varric was touching a sore spot with Cullen. He may seem like he did not care, but his anger betrayed his emotions

"Could have fooled me. Hopefully, there is enough of the Hero left to save Thedas again. Curly, I hope you know what you're doing." Varric let out a frustrated sigh at Cullen's indifference to the dwarf's words.

Leliana's fist clenched in anger at Cullen's disregard to Solona's situation. She was actually thankful that her friend's memories have not returned because the mage would have been hurt by his admission.

"There is an audience?" Solona entered the forest clearing, regarding Varric, Cullen, and Leliana pensively. Solas and Cassandra stood beside her.

"There is a matter that has been brought to our attention. We cannot act until we know you are ready." Cullen answered her question.

"Ready?" The mage asked confused.

"You have practiced your skills within the last few weeks. This is a test of sorts to determine whether you could handle what lies beyond Haven's gates." Cullen gave her an assessing gaze while his hands were crossed in front of his chest.

"What sort of test is this?" Solona asked, frowning at the thought of yet another test.

"A combat test."

"Who will I be up against?' Solona looked at Solas and Cassandra as though she already knew the answer.

"Us." Cassandra confirmed, unsheathing her sword.

Cassandra's sword gleamed in the morning sun while Solas removed his staff from his back.

"Don't hold back. Show them the results of your training." Solas said with a hint of a smile.

"Both of you? I am not sure I am ready." Solona reasoned with apprehension.

"You are ready." Cassandra reassured with a small smile.

"Don't doubt yourself. After all, you are the Herald of Andraste." Solas teased with his snark.

The mage looked at Cullen's hard gaze and glared at him with a look of determination. Her displeased look was a sign that she was going to prove him wrong. Leliana's mood suddenly soured at the display.

Solona unsheathed her sword and looked at Solas and Cassandra warily. Both her opponents stared at her in turn. Solas made the first move. He slammed the end of his staff on the ground, causing the staff to reverberate. The ground beneath Solona's feet shook, causing the mage to let out a helpless yelp, as she dodged the fist made of stone that came out of the ground beneath her.

Solona did not have enough time to compose herself before Cassandra swung at her. Cassandra pressed relentlessly. Every time Cassandra's sword made contact with Solona's sword, the mage staggered from the force of the swing.

"This is not looking good." Varric commented with fear. The bard saw Solas rear his hand back, gathering mana to power his spell. His hand started to glow red with flames.

Cassandra broke contact with Solona when Solas threw a fireball in their direction, causing the mage to throw up a barrier recklessly to defend herself.

_Boom!_

Solona was knocked backwards. Despite the barrier, she fell to the ground as soon as the fireball had dissipated. Her barrier evaporated as soon as the flames had died down.

Solona huffed in irritation as she lifted herself from the ground and ran towards Cassandra. Cassandra raised an eyebrow at the mage's antics and lazily lifted her sword to block the mage's swings.

Cassandra lifted her shield to block Solona's final swing, and from the corner of the bard's eye she saw Cullen stiffen. _Does he sense something that I don't?_ Leliana wondered.

Cassandra pushed Solona's sword away with her shield and lifted her sword in the air. Solona cried out as a blue pillar of light radiated from Cassandra. The bard used her forearm to protect her eyes from the holy templar ability. The blast from the spirit magic was enough to cause Solona to fly in the air, landing on the ground with a thud. The Warden painfully used her forearms to lift herself from the ground.

 _He cannot be okay with this_ , Leliana reasoned with apprehension, she spared a glance at Cullen and saw his jaw clenched.

"Do you give up?" Cassandra taunted.

"Surely, you can do better than that, _Hero_." Solas spat out the name to get the mage riled up.

Solona panted while picking her sword from the ground. She ran towards Solas with her sword trailing behind her.

She swung down vertically at him, reacting to this Solas raised his staff to shield him from the blow.

"My mana," He clenched his teeth, falling to his knees. His arms were shaking as the mana was being ripped from him. Leliana smiled. _Her Spirit Magic has returned to her_.

In the past, Solona used her magic to steal the magical energy from her mage opponents, and she used it in such a way that many would never consider.

"So, her spirit magic has finally manifested." Cullen mused with a puzzled expression.

Cassandra stood behind Solana, holding her sword near the mage's neck.

"It's over. Do you yield?" Cassandra demanded, pressing her sword closer to Solona's neck.

Solona regarded the Seeker's sword from the corner of her eye. "No." She said in defiance.

Solona suddenly disappeared in a shroud, leaving Cassandra's sword hovering in the air.

"What kind of magic is that?" The Commander asked in shock.

Leliana smiled at the familiar ability. "That's the Arcane Warrior specialization." She answered with a smile.

The air began to crackle with electricity as an electric ball formed in Solona's hand. The Warden feigned throwing the ball at Solas, causing him to throw up a wall of earth for protection.

Cassandra fell to her knees as the electricity shocked her nerves, but the spell did not stop as it forked from Cassandra's armor and hit Solas in his back.

The elf fell face forward on the ground because of his loss of balance.

"I am so sorry!" Solona ran towards Cassandra and Solas as her magic retreated into nothingness. Solona tried to help her two defeated foes back onto their feet.

"That was better than I expected." Solas complimented with a smirk and a twitch of pain. "I see that the Arcane Warrior specialization has awakened."

His response caused Solona to frown. "I-I am not sure I could repeat what happened…" Solona answered, bowing her head in dejection.

"Your experience in the field will make you remember. Do not worry." The elf answered, giving Solona a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder.

"For a second there, Elementa, I thought your ass was almost handed to you." Varric complimented her with a cheerful pat on the back.

"Solona, that reminded me of old times." Leliana cheerfully provided her input.

"Commander, what do you think? She did just beat us." Solas looked at the Commander for approval.

"That was adequate." The former bard stared at the Commander in disbelief. "At least, we know that you will not die out there." He regarded Solana with a blank look.

Cassandra looked at Cullen with a scowl and turned her gaze to the Warden. "Come, let's return to camp. We will meet in the War Room later on to discuss the next course of action."

Leliana glared at Cullen's retreating back. She was going to have a long talk with the Commander and give him a piece of her mind.

* * *

Cullen

* * *

All he knew was that he had to get away from the mage, who wore his love's face. Throughout the fight, he felt guilty for putting her through the ordeal. Watching her fall was a reminder of his inability to help Solona in the past. Shaking his head, he reminded himself that the Solona in the past was dead. It was easier to distance himself than to think of her differently. Now, he had to face her in the War Room later on. He walked up to the Haven Chantry and saw Leliana leaning casually against a stone wall supporting a scone.

He nodded to her in greeting, and she quickly caught up to his stride.

"Commander, a word." From her tone, it was a demand and not a request. He could not help but wonder what the former bard wanted.

Her strides were fast, and he could barely keep up with her when he followed her into the prisons. The door shut behind him as he walked into the middle of the room with no sign of the bard. Before he had a chance to turn around, he felt a cold metal kiss on his neck. The force of the dagger was enough to draw a little amount of blood. If she pressed a little harder he'd be at the Maker's side.

"I don't know what your problem is, Commander, but it needs to stop." The spymaster hissed into his ear.

"I don't know what you are talking about?" Cullen rasped out. He realized that Leliana was angry, but at what? Him? What did he do to incur Leliana's wrath? His hand inched towards his sword and Leliana did not miss the movement as she pressed a little harder.

"I can forgive the fact that you had Solona spar against Cassandra and Solas. But-But your attitude towards her needs to go." Leliana warned, feeling her hot breath in his ear.

"Attitude? You are a spy, and you should know the dangers of emotions. Do you expect the bandits, templars and mages in the Hinterlands will go easy on her? The Herald needs to understand the reality of the situation." Cullen yelled, justifying his actions.

"She has a name. It's Solona!" She reminded him as her voice became dangerously low. "I have already lost much within these ten years. Now that we have Solona back, I intend to protect her. Even if it means from you." She spoke darkly.

"Me?" Cullen asked incredulously.

"This façade you are wearing is hurting her. I saw these past few weeks she would get up early from dawn until dusk to the point of exhaustion for training."

Cullen felt his breath involuntary hitch. He remembered a time when he watched over a mage during her training in the tower, she had begun to learn how to heal. She would spend hours putting her heart and soul into the spell, trying to get the spell to work. Every time he watched her, he would smile at her proudly at her determination to not give up.

"You have the nerve to say that she is adequate. What happened to the Cullen she told me about? A templar who would ensure she blossomed to her full potential by telling her not to give up, instead of saying her best is not good enough." Leliana mocked.

"Stay out of our business." Cullen stated in anger. Could it be that she was Solona? The way she swung her blade, was how he taught her in the past.

"Solona Amell is my business. One of these days she will get herself killed trying to prove you wrong. I saw that look in her eye after you spoke down to her. "She recounted her observation. "Commander or no, if you break her heart or she dies, I will end you." She threatened with dark promise, removing the dagger from his neck and pushed him away.

The door slamming alerted Cullen that she left the room. Cullen clutched his neck to clean up the small amount of blood that seeped out of the tiny wound on his neck. Leliana seemed to be a woman of faith and she believed that the mage was Solona. Her threat was confirmation of her faith.

He wished that his own faith was strong. Lately, his faith had been shaken thanks to Knight-Commander Meredith's madness, the Conclave exploding with extremely strong and unknown magic, and now…

He shook his head at his own beliefs. He would have to worry about them later since he had a meeting in the War Room to attend.

"Leliana are you alright?" He heard Cassandra question from outside the door.

"I will be fine." The bard reassured. He sighed and opened the door, and took his place between Leliana and Josephine on the other side of the War Table.

"Now that we are here, I believe introductions are in order." Cassandra began while looking at the mage.

"Solona, these are the advisors to the Inquisition. Josephine works with diplomatic affairs." She gestured to the Antivan, wearing a gold dress.

"Your reputation has proceeded you. It is a pleasure to meet you at last." Josephine curtsied politely, earning a small smile from the mage.

"Commander Cullen," He noticed that she was not looking in his direction and she stiffened when Cassandra mentioned his name. "As you have met is in charge of the training of the Inquisition's forces."

"How are you feeling?" He asked softly. Leliana looked at him, she was trying to mask the shock on her face, and she was failing. Solona also looked taken aback.

"I-I am a little sore. But I should be fine." She answered still looking at him curiously.

For a long time, there was nothing but silence in the War Room. Cullen could hear all the priests outside singing the Chant of Light, the pilgrims joining their voices to theirs in hope that the Maker would hear them and return to save them in this world gone mad.

"Oh and lastly, Leliana. She is our Spymaster." Cassandra said to break the awkward silence.

"Tactfully put, Cassandra." Leliana said with a subtle dissatisfaction at how Cassandra introduced her to her former best friend.

"A spy then. That explains the hooded cloak and dagger look." Solana observed with a grin

"Good to see you have not lost your dry sense of humor, Solona." Leliana answered with a smirk.

Cullen could not help but smile at the joke, but was starting to feel guilty on how he treated to mage. These little things were reminding him of the past. But his mind began to lurch back, he needed further proof, he still couldn't believe that his woman was the Solona Amell from his past. It could easily be a demon. A demon who may have been responsible for the Conclave explosion.

A part of him was afraid that he too, was falling into the same madness that struck Knight-Commander Meredith. _I'll not be that. I cannot. I have a duty. A duty!_

Cullen was snapped back from his thoughts as Solona began to speak. "What an impressive group with many skills. I am a little anxious being in your company." Solona stated incredulously.

A knock resounded on the door. "Come in." Cassandra beckoned.

"Sister Nightingale," A scout bowed."Sorry to bother you, but here is the report you wanted without delay."

Leliana's eyes scanned the contents of the report before frowing."That's odd. Originally, I was informed that the mages were in Redcliffe, but now they are in Denerim. I guess things can change within a few weeks."

"We are going to go that route?" Cullen asked with disapproval. He did not like approaching the mages for help. Allowing untrained mages in Haven's walls would permit abominations to destroy the Inquisition from the inside.

"Her mark needs more power to close the Breach for good." Cassandra reasoned, causing Cullen to step forward in protest.

"I was a templar. I know what templars are capable of. They could help close the Breach. Look, if too much power goes into the mark it may kill us. The templars will use their abilities to suppress the Breach and weaken it-"

"You are only assuming Commander. "Leliana interrupted Cullen coldly.

"Neither group will speak to us." Josephine reminded them all as she was looking through the contents of her clipboard for information. "We already know that Chancellor Roderick has condemned the Inquisition. They warned Solona to not go to Val Royeaux."

"Why?" Solona questioned taken aback. Cullen could see genuine fear in her eyes.

"Your return has scared the surviving Chantry clerics." Leliana informed.

"They have begun to call us necromancers." Cassandra reminded with obvious distaste.

"They are too busy worrying about us, than they are about picking a new Divine?" Cullen scoffed. The Chantry seemed to be losing their priorities these days.

"Some are calling you Solona Amell, The Hero of Ferelden, the Herald of Andraste. That frightens the Chantry because you died ten years ago." Josephine recounted the rumors that were going around.

"I died?" Solona asked with shock. The hurt look on Solona's face made Cullen compelled to comfort her but he decided not to act. If he did, it would show weakness. Weakness he could not afford to show anyone.

"Yes, exactly ten years ago." Leliana confirmed with a soft voice.

"The remaining clerics have declared it blasphemy, and calls us heretics for starting the rumor and necromancers for summoning you." Josephine finished, with her mouth settling in a grim line.

"We already know we have Chancellor Roderick to thank for those rumors." Cassandra reasoned with anger.

"Since we cannot approach either faction, our options are limited." Josephine answered with a sigh.

"How am I the Herald of Andraste?" Solona was still reeling in the news.

"A revered hero who came back from the dead stabilized the breach. They have also heard of the woman seen in the Rift when we first found Edmund Tullius. They believed that woman was Andraste and used him to deliver you from the Fade. His disappearance was a sign that you are Andraste's champion." Cassandra retold the story that she heard for the last couple of weeks.

"Where exactly did he go?" Solona asked bemused.

"He was trapped in the Fade and you came out." Cassandra shook her head at the memory.

"We are not stopping that view from spreading because people are looking for a sign of hope. You are that sign." Leliana instructed those in the room before her gaze was landed on the mage. "A chantry cleric by the name of Mother Giselle has asked to speak with you."

"Wait, you just said she was from the Chantry. Why would she want to help us out?" Solona asked in disbelief.

"She is not unreasonable." Cassandra commented.

"Look for her tending to the wounded near Redcliffe." Leliana informed while crossing her arms over her chest.

"Alright, if we are going to settle this thing, I must depart right away." Solona Amell answered with determination. Cullen felt his heart fill with pride watching the mage readily take the role as leader.

"Please be safe, Solona." Leliana gave the mage a hug.

"I'll try." Solona answered with a small smile before directing her gaze towards Cullen.

He nodded in her direction, causing her to look at him warily. This mage was proving him wrong, and he was starting to hate himself for the way he had been treating her. He was going to need Solas' help to put his troubled mind at rest.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Solona's trial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT6LyfxJBa8  
> Battle Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1Y7tY8NppM  
> Cullen's conflict:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2ALOpSiTyY

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all like this concept and thank you in advanced for any Kudos and comments before the next chapter.   
> Until next time!


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